A Broken Record
by Tato Potato
Summary: What should have happened between Ethan and Honey. Rated T because it features some domestic violence in a later chapter
1. Chapter 1

They walked along the beach, it was their favourite place to go when they wanted to be alone. It was a rather chilly day. They had been out for dinner and Honey was wearing a beautiful red dress which fell to just above her knee. It didn't have sleeves so she was shivering slightly. Ethan being the gentleman took his jacket off and put it over her shoulders.

He took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. He smiled up at the beautiful woman stood before him. His heart fluttered with love as she smiled back at him.

'You know I love you, I really do' He murmured.

'I love you too' she whispered.

'I couldn't imagine my life without you. Every time you walk into the room I feel my heart flutter like there is a little bird trapped in my chest, I love you more and more as each day passes. One day I want to grow old with you' He spoke.

He knelt down on one knee. He looked up at Honey who was stood in front of him, a hand clapped over her mouth. She was shocked.

'Honey, I love you from the bottom of my heart. Will you please do me the honour of marrying me?' He murmured.

She smiled at him, a stray tear ran down her cheek. She gulped. 'Yes, I'd love to' she murmured throwing her arms around his neck.

He took the ring out of the box and gently slipped it onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. He swept her off of her feet and kissed her passionately.

'I love you so much, you are a wonderful person and I can't wait to become your wife' Honey murmured. They walked along the rest of the beach, hand in hand. Honey kept admiring the beautiful ring which was now sat on her finger.

Only a few months later did the couple find themselves actually getting married…


	2. Chapter 2

He stood at one end of the aisle. His hands trembled as he adjusted his tie for the fifth time. Cal put a hand supportively on his. 'Calm down Nibbles. What happened to you being unflappable?' he smiled.

'I normally am but this is different. I mean, what if she doesn't turn up?' He asked worriedly.

'Of course she'll turn up, what a silly thought. She loves you. Come on nibbles stop worrying. She'll be here' Cal murmured hugging his little brother.

He turned around to see all of their friends taking photos on their phones of this show of affection. He would need to steal their phones and delete all of the evidence of this before they could use it against them.

The priest gestured to Cal and Ethan to take their place at the altar. They both stood up and took their positions. Ethan's hands were shaking so Cal took them in his. 'It's alright. She's coming' He whispered. He turned to face the bridal party. He saw his brother's fiancée approaching.

Honey was holding her father's arm. She was beaming. She was wearing a fitted white dress, carrying a bunch of white lilies and her hair was tied in a bun, with a veil flowing from it. She looked amazing.

'She's beautiful' Cal whispered before Ethan turned around. Ethan's heart leapt when he saw his soon to be wife approaching. She looked amazing. Tears began to fill his eyes. He pushed his glasses up and wiped his tears away. He put a hand out for Honey to take. He pulled her close and hugged her. 'You look gorgeous' he murmured. She blushed slightly. 'I love you' she whispered. The ceremony began moments later.

Cal patted his brother on the back before taking his seat. He couldn't help but beam with pride when he saw how happy his brother was. He smiled as he watched the ceremony begin.

Ethan and Honey were too in love to notice the words being said. They continued to stare into each other's eyes. They said their parts and continued looking at each other lovingly until the priest declared 'You may now kiss your bride' Ethan smiled before pulling Honey closer. He swept her off of her feet and kissed her passionately.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. She gripped his hair and pulled him closer. Pressing her lips against his. Cheers erupted around the church. They separated and began the short walk back down the aisle as a newly married couple. He slipped an arm around her back. The guests crowded them throwing confetti at the couple. It stuck to their clothes and hair.

They walked to the venue of their reception. They were chatting excitedly with each other. Ethan was telling Honey how much he loved her. She kept blushing every time he told her how beautiful he thought she was.


	3. Chapter 3

He stood with his bow tie untied, drape around his neck. She stood across the room from him, her smile radiating as he approached. He stood before her looking deeply into her eyes. She was beautiful. He couldn't bring himself to take his eyes off of her.

'Shall we?' He asked extending his hand towards hers.

He took her hand. She blushed before whispering her answer. 'Yes, I'd love to' he led her onto the wooden dance floor, the lights dimmed. The crowds parted and a hollow circle formed in the middle. He turned to her, pulling her close. She could smell the faint smell of his aftershave. He took her hands placing one on his upper arm whilst the other he held in his grip.

He placed his other hand on the small of her back. He brought her closer still as the music began to play in the background, he began expertly twirling her across the dance floor. He had asked his brother to teach him how to dance. His brother had learnt ballroom dancing on his gap year when he travelled around Europe.

He kept his gaze fixed on her deep brown eyes, lost in the moment. He hadn't even noticed the scores of couples who had joined them on the dance floor. His eyes creased into a smile as his new bride rested her head on his shoulder. He brought his arms around her waist. She moved hers to around his neck. She looked up at him before pulling his head closer to hers, her hand gripping his hair as she pressed her lips tightly to his. 'I love you, Mrs Hardy!' He murmured returning the kiss. She released he grip before resting her head on his shoulder.

'I love you too Dr Hardy!' She whispered. He led her towards the bar, handing her a glass of champagne. He beamed at her as he wrapped an arm around her waist. He was admiring the scene before him of his friends enjoying themselves that he didn't realise someone stood behind him. 'Hello Ethan' the voice said.


	4. Chapter 4

His heart sank when he recognised the voice, he turned to face the owner. 'Dad?' He mumbled.

'Hello Son' his father replied with a grin.

'I want you to leave, now' Ethan warned.

'I have a right to attend my own son's wedding' he stated.

'You lost that right, a long time ago, now leave' Ethan muttered.

'Aren't you going to introduce me to your new wife, Eth' his father questioned.

'No, you don't have any right to be here, or intrude on my new family, NOW LEAVE!' Ethan shouted.

The music quietened, Cal looked over when he heard his brother raising his voice. He saw their father harassing his brother and stormed over. 'Ethan, are you alright?' Cal asked concernedly.

'Yeah, Dad here is just leaving. He knows he's not welcome.' Ethan stated nonchalantly. Cal looked at his brother carefully. He could see tears building in his eyes. He put an arm around his brother protectively.

'Fine, I'll go but this won't be the last you hear from me' he stated menacingly before turning on his heel and stalking out of the hall. Ethan breathed a sigh of relief before leaving to get some fresh air.

Honey looked toward Cal with an uneasy gaze, 'it's alright, let me go' he whispered to his new sister in law. Honey nodded before watching Cal chase after Ethan.

'Ethan, Ethan, wait for me!' He called as he tried to catch up with his brother. Ethan kept going. Cal put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him to a stop.

As Ethan turned around he could see that his little brother had been crying. When he looked closer he realised that Ethan hadn't just been crying but he was having a panic attack. His face was pale, he couldn't breathe properly. His head was pounding like a drum. Cal held his brother's shoulders and helped him sit on the ground. He crouched beside him, taking his hands in his own. He looked at him square in the eye, maintaining eye contact with his brother as best as he could whilst trying to help him.

'Ethan, mate, look at me, please just focus on me. You are having a panic attack so you need to calm down. It's alright buddy, just focus on my voice. Breathe, in and out slowly. One breath at a time. That's it keep going. You are doing really well. Keep focusing on my voice, steady breaths. There we go, almost there just keep breathing with me. In and out.' Cal instructed.

Slowly Ethan's breathing returned to normal. Cal kept his hands in Ethan's not letting him go.


	5. Chapter 5

'What's the matter Ethan? It's your wedding day, you are meant to be happy' Cal murmured.

'It's hardly likely that I am going to be happy when he is here, I mean come on what am I supposed to do walk over, hug him and pretend everything is alright, he abused me Cal.' Ethan muttered, still feeling rather breathless.

'Whoa hang on, what did you just say?' Cal raised his voice.

'He abused me, our father beat me on a regular basis and nearly killed me and you expect me to pretend everything is alright.' Ethan whispered.

'Geez, Ethan why didn't you tell me, I didn't realise that he did that!' Cal spoke still shocked.

'He did, everyday whilst you were at University. I thought it had ended when he left, so I didn't tell anyone. I'm sorry' Ethan sobbed. Cal wrapped his brother into a tight embrace.

'You have nothing to apologise for Nibbles, absolutely nothing' Cal murmured as he tried to comfort his baby brother.

Ethan continued to sob until he eventually was too exhausted. Cal led him to a small bench near the entrance. Cal took a packet of cigarettes from his pocket, placing one of the cigarettes in his mouth and lighting it with his lighter. He took a long drag on it breathing out a giant cloud of smoke. He handed the cigarette to Ethan.

'What are you meant to do?' Ethan asked, he had never smoked before.

'Just take a drag on it and breathe it out' Cal explained. As Ethan did this he began to choke on the smoke. They fell about on the bench in fits of laughter.

'See that is the nibbles that we want to see, don't let him get you down. You are bigger and better than he will ever be. I promise he won't touch you ever again' Cal murmured. Ethan hugged his brother, he knew that Cal would always be there for him.

They sat there for a moment in silence. Ethan's head was whirring. Flashbacks of what had happened began to fill his head.


	6. Chapter 6

ETHAN!' The voice came. 'Where the hell are you?' He shouted.

'I'm h-here' Ethan whispered.

'Get over here this instant, you insolent child' he screamed.

'Y-yes sir' he scurried into the room, not making eye contact with his father. He sat on the chair waiting for instruction.

'WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU COULD SIT DOWN?' He seethed.

'S-sorry' Ethan whimpered.

'That's not good enough' he shouted jumping out of the chair. Ethan cowered. He knew exactly what was coming next. His hand was raised above Ethan's face, he brought it down with such force that Ethan yelped.

'Please, stop, I'm really sorry' he pleaded. His father continued smacking him, until his skin was red raw. He had small cuts along his face, back and legs.

Once his father had finally had enough he decided to let Ethan go, but not before another punishment 'bath time' he declared. Ethan began to cry. Every time his dad hit him he was made to have a bath in salty water, which made every cut sting. He hated it. His father grabbed his wrist, dragging him into the bathroom, he filled the bath and then pulled out a jar of salt, and he poured in half the jar of salt before hauling Ethan into the bath, fully clothed.

'Sit down!' He bellowed showing Ethan into the salty water. Ethan began to sob.

'I promise I won't do it again, please let me out' he begged.

'NO' his father screamed, he locked the door and made Ethan sit there. Ethan cried his eyes out until he was completely exhausted. His father unlocked the door and threw a damp cold towel to Ethan so he could dry off. He left Ethan to get himself ready for bed before he came into Ethan's bedroom. He slammed the door before launching himself at his son.

Ethan's screams rang through the house. Every time the belt made contact with his back he cried in pain. He buried his head into a pillow to muffle the sound. His father towered over him and continued yelling and beating him.

'You are the most insolent child I have ever met. No wonder Cal left to go to university. You must have irritated him so much' He berated.

That night, Ethan hardly slept. It was too painful for him to put a duvet over his weak frame. He couldn't move without pain rippling through his body.

'Ethan? Ethan? Are you okay?' The voice interrupted his thoughts.

'Hmm?' Ethan muttered.

'It's alright, it's me. What's wrong?' Cal asked him.

'Just thinking about it' Ethan muttered

'Don't, just ignore him. I promise he will not be able to hurt you ever again' Cal told him. Cal went back into the hall and saw their father. He was talking to Honey.

'You, over here, now!' Cal demanded.

Their father walked over. Cal punched him in the face. 'I know what you did to him, how could you?' He screamed

'He had it coming to him the little beast' He stated nonchalantly.

'What you did is unforgiveable yet you are stood here pretending that everything is okay' Cal told him.

Moments later a police car turned up. One of the guests had called the police because of the fight.

'What is going on here?' The police officer asked.

'He's beaten my brother as a child and he's tried to hurt him again. He needs to go to jail.' Cal told them. They escorted him out of the building. Honey and Cal went to find Ethan who was having another panic attack.

'Oh Nibbles, it's alright. Keep calm.' Cal told him.

'Forget about him, he's gone now. He can't hurt you anymore. I promise' Honey whispered.

'Breathe for me Ethan. That's it nice deep breaths. Everything is okay now, just calm down. Slow deep breaths. I know it is difficult but keep trying' Cal murmured. Ethan calmed down gradually.

'I'm sorry' Ethan muttered.

'You don't need to apologise' Honey interrupted

'She's right. He should never have come. The police have taken him and locked him up. He can't hurt you again, I won't let him hurt you again' Cal whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

A few minutes later the couple were getting ready to leave for their honeymoon. Ethan took Honey's hand in his and wandered outside with her. They had said their goodbyes to their friends and family and were going to the car. Cal was driving them home to collect their things before they went on holiday to Africa.

They sat in the back seat of Cal's car and were giggling with each other. They couldn't take their eyes off of each other. Cal pulled up outside the house and let them go and get their bags.

He helped them load it into the car and drove them to the airport. Neither of the pair knew where they were going. Cal had planned it and booked it. He wanted to keep it a surprise. He handed them their tickets and passports. Ethan stared at the ticket, his eyes filling with tears. 'Cal, we can't. First Class tickets, are you serious?' Ethan muttered.

'Oh come on nibbles, after everything you have been through today, of course you can. I wanted to treat my little brother after everything you have done for me' He murmured.

They hugged before Ethan and Honey disappeared off into the terminal. Cal returned home, pleased with what he had done for his brother and looking forwards to seeing his brother when he came home.


	8. Chapter 8

Only a few weeks later whilst they were on their Honeymoon Ethan and Honey were asleep when Honey began to feel rather ill. She climbed out of bed unwinding herself from her husband's arms. She ran to the bathroom and began to throw up in the toilet. Ethan rolled over and ran a hand along the gap in the bed where his wife had been. He could hear her throwing up in the bathroom so he pulled a top on and padded in to the toilet.

She was sat on the floor in a heap, resting her head against the cool tile wall beside her. She had tears streaming down her face and was sweating. She looked pale and was warm to his touch. He put an arm around her shoulders.

'Honey, are you alright?' He asked her worriedly.

Before she could answer she leant over the toilet and continued to throw up. Her muscles tensed as she heaved into the toilet bowl. She sat back and whimpered slightly as she stopped throwing up.

'I don't feel so great today' she whispered.

'Let's get you into bed. Do you think it is something you might have eaten?' He asked. He thought about it for a moment and then realised that it was impossible. They had both eaten the same food.

'I think I might be pregnant' She replied. 'I bought a test yesterday when we went out. I didn't want to tell you in case I wasn't' she explained.

'Oh Honey, that's great news. Why don't you take the test now and we'll leave it until later to find out?' He suggested. Honey nodded before returning to the bathroom. She took the test and left it on the side in the bathroom. Ethan helped her back into bed and wrapped his arms around her. She nestled into his arms and fell back asleep.

A couple of hours went by and Honey was beginning to feel better so they decided to venture to the pool. Honey was getting changed in the bathroom and remembered the pregnancy test. She picked it up without looking and handed it to her husband. Ethan looked at her nervously.

'You look at it, I can't' she whispered. He took her small hand in his. He turned the pregnancy test over, staring at the results. His heart leapt for joy when he saw it.

'Baby, it looks like we are going to have a baby. We're going to be parents' He exclaimed before kissing his wife passionately. Ethan hugged her tightly being mindful of not pressing her tummy. He looked up at his wife who had tears streaming down her face. He smiled at her gently and lifted her up into a hug.


	9. Chapter 9

Only a few days later the couple found themselves back in Holby. Cal and Noel had travelled to the airport to pick them up. Ethan and Honey had decided that they would tell them that they were expecting. Honey was wearing a t-shirt that Ethan had bought for her with a tiny hand print printed on it which fell on her stomach. Cal was the first to notice.

'Are you…. Um…. Are you having a baby?' He stammered

'Yep!' Ethan replied cheerfully. Cal was ecstatic and pulled his brother into a tight hug. Noel was really excited he couldn't wipe the smile from his face.

'When are you due?' Cal asked.

'Well in about 8 months' Ethan told him.

That day they decided to go and visit their friends in the ED. Honey hadn't changed her shirt though not many people had noticed. Everyone crowded around them and was asking how their honeymoon went. Ethan popped to the pharmacy to fetch some anti-nausea tablets for Honey to help with the morning sickness. He opened the packet and handed her a pill. He then handed her a glass of water so she could take the tablet.

When she took it, many of their friends were asking why she needed medicine, and was she okay.

'I guess they will find out sooner or later, shall we tell them?' Ethan whispered to Honey. She nodded

'Alright Guys, Honey and I have an announcement to make today. Honey has to take some anti-nausea tablets at the moment because she is struggling with morning sickness, yep, that's right, we're going to be parents' Ethan announced.

Everyone was really happy for them and excited to see whether it was a boy or girl. Many of them decided to place bets on the gender of the child.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry guys but due to the fact that I will be starting school in the next couple of days I will be updating a lot more chapters on a daily basis so I can complete all of my stories in time, I will still be writing but may not be posting as much. Please read and review! Enjoy! :)**

Two months later Ethan was stood in the coffee shop watching his wife making his coffee. 'If I wasn't already married to you, I'd ask you out again' He whispered as he threaded his arms around her body.

'Are you ready to go?' She asked him as she kissed his lips.

'Yeah, you?' He asked. She nodded.

They walked to the lift. Ethan held her hand in his tightly. They were both nervous about what was about to happen next but they were also excited it would be the first time they got to see their child.

They were showed to a room where Ethan helped Honey onto the bed. He sat beside her and held her hand as the doctor began the scan. She frowned slightly at the screen before disappearing out of the room.

'What's going on, is something wrong?' Honey asked Ethan.

Ethan shook his head. 'I don't know sweetheart' he replied tears filling his eyes.

A moment later the doctor returned to the room with her colleague. They did the scan again and then smiled at Ethan.

'It's a good thing you're a doctor, because you're going to need a lot of money' they joked. Ethan's face was etched with concern

'What do you mean?' he asked.

'It's twins. You're going to have twins.' They told the couple. Ethan looked at Honey nervously. It took a moment to sink in.

'I-I-It's T-T-TWINS?!' He blurted out.

Honey nodded and laughed. It was quite a funny scenario, one that was really unexpected.

They went back down to the ED unable to control their laughter. They bumped in Cal and Noel and told them the news. Cal was ecstatic for them whereas Noel was still in shock. They had decided not to find out the gender of the babies because they wanted it to be a surprise.

When the news spread throughout the ED everyone was happy for the couple except one person, Lily. She was horrified to hear the news and was really jealous of Honey finding happiness with Ethan. She hated Honey for 'stealing' Ethan from her. Nobody paid any attention to Lily's jealousy.


	11. Chapter 11

Ethan rushed through the house gathering all of the necessary things that they would need. To say he was panicking was an understatement. He was getting flustered when he couldn't find the towels.

'Ethan Get back here now, I need you' Honey cried out before screaming in agony. He dashed back to the bedroom. She lay on the bed, her swollen stomach tensed with every contraction. Her face was screwed up as she clenched her jaw. She was trying really hard not to scream.

'I couldn't find the towels' Ethan muttered as the contraction finished and his wife relaxed.

'There over in the corner, right there' she told him gesturing to a large stack of old towels which they had placed there for this very reason.

'How are you feeling?' He asked her worriedly.

'It really hurts, I didn't think it would be this bad. Please make it stop' she pleaded.

'I'm sorry baby, but I can't do anything. We have to wait for Cal to get here, he's coming with your dad in a minute.' He whispered. He took her hand in his before sitting beside her.

'I need to get up, can you please help me?' She asked in a whisper.

'Okay darling, give me your other hand' he said as he pulled her up off of the bed. As soon as she was standing she doubled over in agony as the next contraction took hold. She gripped his hand tightly, her screams ringing in his ears.

'You're doing really well, just keep breathing, nice deep breaths' he whispered. Honey relaxed a bit before waddling into the bathroom.

Ethan had run her a nice warm bath to help her relax. He helped her into the bath. She insisted on keeping her clothes on because she was embarrassed about her pregnant body.

'Alright sweetheart, but just so you know, I think you are beautiful' he murmured before kissing her. He lowered his wife steadily into the bath as Cal rang the doorbell. Ethan left Honey for a moment to let his brother into his home. Noel was stood beside Cal with a nervous expression on his face.

'How is she?' He asked.

'She's doing really well, but she is getting a bit tired and might need some pain relief' he explained. Almost as if on cue Honey let out an ear piercing shriek.

'I'm coming Honey' Ethan called out as he raced up the stairs into the bathroom. He threw himself to the ground beside his wife, taking her hand in his as she cried out in pain.

'Alright Baby, I'm here now. It's alright' he soothed. Cal stood in the door way, it warmed his heart to see how caring his brother was. He cleared his throat.

'How's the patient doing?' He asked.

The reason Cal was there was because he had completed a placement on a maternity unit whilst he was in the US. Honey and Ethan had agreed that they wanted to have their children at home, Honey didn't want anyone else there except her and her family.

'It hurts' Honey whimpered.

'You are doing really well, I promise. I know it hurts but we will get you some pain relief in a moment' Cal assured her. 'Would you prefer to get out of the bath so I can examine you and then administer the pain relief?' He asked.

Honey nodded. As Ethan and Cal helped her up she cried out in pain again. This contraction was a lot worse than any of her others. Cal lifted her completely off of the ground and lay her onto the bed. She was frozen in fear and pain.

'Alright Honey. Let's get these damp clothes off of you and put some dry ones on' Ethan murmured. She shook her head.

'Honey, you'll catch a chill if we don't get you changed. Cal and I have seen it all before, we are doctors remember' Ethan bargained.

Honey finally gave in and nodded her head in agreement. Ethan smiled at her. He helped his wife change into some dry clothes before letting Cal take over. Noel lingered by the door whilst he waited for instruction. Honey turned to him and reached out a hand. He took it and squeezed it reassuringly.

Cal grabbed his medical bags and began organising the equipment he needed. He pulled on a pair of latex gloves.

'Right, Honey I need to examine you, this might be a bit uncomfortable but just bear with me, I'll be a quick and as gentle as I can just keep still for me' he murmured. He examined her quickly. Honey was a bit uncomfortable but considering the intensity of her contractions it was nothing. Ethan held her hand tightly.

'Right I would say that she is 6 centimetres dilated, at the moment so it may be a little while so let me get some pain relief sorted out' he explained.


	12. Chapter 12

Cal gestured to Ethan to step outside with him.

'What's the matter Cal?' He asked concernedly.

'Nothing I just wanted to make sure that you were alright. I mean it can't be easy for you watching Honey in so much pain. Listen, she is in good hands and I promise to look after her.' Cal spoke, his voice filled with emotion as he looked at his brother.

Ethan dropped his head slightly. 'I'm just a bit scared at the moment, I just want to be sure that everything will be alright' he whispered ashamedly. He felt ashamed that he was putting his feelings above his wife's.

Cal clapped him on the back. 'There is nothing to worry about, it is perfectly normal to be scared. You have no need to be ashamed about that. I assure you though that I will make sure that she is alright' Cal murmured before returning to the room.

Honey was sat upright in the bed with one arm cradling her stomach. Beads of sweat were decorating her forehead. Ethan took a damp washcloth and wiped her face with it. Cal prepared some medication.

He handed Honey the mouthpiece. 'Here is some gas and air. When you feel the next contraction coming, you just take a couple of deep breaths of this and it should take the edge off of the pain.' He explained.

Honey took a long drag on it as the next contraction came. She clutched at Ethan's hand and the bed sheets. Her knuckles turning white as she squeezed his hand tightly. She let out a loud whimper as the pain intensified momentarily before subsiding. She flopped back onto the bed in an exhausted heap.

'You're doing really well, babe. Just keep focusing on my voice. I promise I am not going anywhere' Ethan assured her. Ethan looked over at his brother for some kind of guidance. Ethan had no experience of childbirth whereas Cal knew exactly what was going on.

'The pain is going to get a bit worse now, but you are doing really well and you'll be fine, just keep breathing and squeeze Ethan's hand if you need to, alright. Remember to take a nice long drag in the gas and air that will help.' Cal murmured. Ethan nodded his head.

Honey tried to sit up on the bed. She gasped in mild pain as she tried to get up. She couldn't do it alone. Ethan took one of her arms and Cal took the other. They helped her to stand up beside the bed. She wanted to move around a bit to try and help her cope with the pain. Cal remained in the bedroom preparing the equipment whilst Ethan helped his wife walk around the house. They walked to the kitchen where Honey grabbed some ice cubes to suck. As soon as they tried to go back upstairs Honey started screaming again.

'It's alright darlin' just keep breathing' Ethan whispered to her as she doubled over in pain. Cal and Noel were waiting in the bedroom for Ethan and Honey to return. Cal heard Honey's screams and ran down the stairs to make sure she was okay, Noel was hot on his heels.

'Honey, it's alright, let's get you back to bed, alright. Slowly does it, let's get you nice and comfortable before we check you over' Cal murmured as he helped Ethan guide her up the stairs.

'Please help me' Honey whimpered.

'I'm not going anywhere, I'm going to look after you alright, so don't worry about that. You just focus on the babies' he replied. They helped Honey get back into bed, she was exhausted but couldn't move too much because of the pain. Cal handed her the gas and air which she breathed in quickly.

'I can't do this anymore. I'm too tired. Please make it stop' Honey cried.

'Listen, you can do this, I promise that you can. Just keep going. There is nothing we can do to stop it but you are strong enough to manage this' Ethan whispered to his wife.

'Right, Honey I need to examine you again now. This might be a bit uncomfortable like last time but just keep breathing. Hold Ethan's hand nice and tightly, okay' Cal murmured whilst pulling on a pair of gloves before examining Honey.

'Alright, she's 8 centimetres dilated now so it won't be too much longer now' Cal exclaimed before removing the gloves.

'What does that mean?' Honey gasped.

'It means that you are nearly ready to have your babies, but for now you will have to keep breathing' Cal explained. Honey winced. She didn't want to keep going, she was tired, uncomfortable and fed up.

Ethan rubbed her shoulder reassuringly. 'How about I give you a back rub to make you feel better?' Ethan offered. Honey nodded. Cal helped Honey sit upright Ethan positioned himself behind his wife and began gently rubbing her back. She purred with joy as the pain began to lessen. Ethan smiled as his wife closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of relief.

It was short lived as the pain returned with more intensity. Ethan remained sat behind Honey. He placed his hands tightly on her shoulders and squeezed them reassuringly. Cal was sat at the foot of the bed, he smiled when he saw his brother comforting his wife. '

Alright Honey, just keep breathing. I'm here, I won't let anything happen to you I promise' Ethan murmured. Cal placed a hand reassuringly on Honey's knee. He smiled at her gently.

'You're doing really well, not long to go now' he whispered as Honey flopped back onto the pillows.

'I'm really scared' Honey whimpered.

'It's all going to be okay, I promise. Eth and I are here and we won't let anything happen to you' Cal murmured. Honey smiled weakly at him. A contraction took hold and before she could do anything she was screaming in agony. Tears sprang to Noel's eyes as he saw his daughter struggling with the pain. Cal reached over and patted his back. Noel blinked the tears away as Honey gripped his arm. He looked down at his daughter. She was looking up at him lovingly before her attention was stolen by another contraction.

'I'll go put the kettle on' he whispered before leaving the room. In reality he just wanted to get out of there. He couldn't cope with his daughter being in so much pain. He flicked the kettle on and sank onto a nearby chair. He buried his head into his hands. He felt so useless. He didn't even notice the figure stood in the doorway.

'It will be alright you know. She's going to be fine. We're looking after her' Ethan whispered.

'I know, it's just difficult' Noel replied through his gentle sobs.

'I know it is but Honey is doing really well and she is asking for you' Ethan informed him.

'Alright I'll be there in a second' he muttered. Ethan left the room and returned to his wife's side. He climbed onto the bed beside his wife and stroked he hand. Tears were streaming down her face. He brushed them away with his thumb.

'Oh darlin' don't cry. I'm here' he whispered.

'I love you' she murmured.

'I love you too' he replied before kissing her. She pulled away quickly,

'ow, it hurts. It really hurts' she whimpered.

'I know baby but you're doing really well, isn't she Cal?' Ethan said turning to his brother.

'Yes, she's doing amazingly' Cal replied with a smile.

'Of course she is, she's brilliant' Noel spoke from the doorway.


	13. Chapter 13

Ethan smiled and nodded in agreement. 'That's why I married her' he whispered, his voice filled with pride and emotion. Cal pulled on a pair of gloves.

'Lets see how you are doing, shall we?' Cal murmured. Honey nodded before resting a hand on her swollen abdomen. He began examining her, she winced slightly and began to fidget.

'Okay Honey, I'm nearly finished, just keep still a moment' Cal whispered. He sat up and looked at his brother and sister-in-law. 'You're ten centimetres, it's time to welcome these babies into the world' he murmured with a smile. Honey and Ethan looked at each other shell shocked.

'Alright on the next contraction I need you to push, as hard as you can for 10 seconds' Cal asserted. Honey nodded as the next contraction took hold. She pushed with all of her might.

Ethan and Noel held her hands and whispered to her throughout. 'You're doing really well... Keep going... You're brilliant...' They told her. She flopped back on to the pillows in exhaustion. She breathed heavily before the next contraction came.

'Push! That's it just like that' Cal asserted. A few minutes later Cal spoke again. 'One more push and your first baby will be here' he murmured. In less than thirty seconds the room was filled with more screaming this time it wasn't coming from Honey. Their first child was born.

'Its a little boy!' Cal declared with tears in his eyes. Ethan cut the cord before he was handed his new son.

'Hello handsome, he whispered as he kissed his baby boy in the head. The baby cooed at this sign of affection. As the next contraction hit Honey, Ethan handed his baby to Noel whilst he held Honey's hand. Almost 10 minutes later, their second child was born. Ethan couldn't control his emotions as he cut the second cord.

'I'm sorry' he muttered as he swallowed back his tears.

'It's alright' Cal whispered as he handed the second baby to Honey. 'Congratulations! I'm so pleased for you both' he whispered blinking back his own tears. Ethan smiled and turned to his wife.

'I'm so proud of you' he murmured before kissing her. He took the other child from his father-in-law. He sat on the bed admiring his new family. Cal packed up his things and the equipment. He lifted the bag onto his back and headed towards the door.

'Where do you think you're going?' Honey demanded. 'I'm just leaving, you need some time alone as a family' he muttered.

'You are part of the family. You are staying put' Ethan stated. He stood up from the bed. 'Here come meet your new niece' he said handing the baby to his brother.

'Hello beautiful, what's your name?' Cal asked as he took the tiny bundle in his arms. His heart melted instantly.

'Keira Grace, after mum' Ethan whispered his voice choked slightly.

'Aww she's gorgeous, Mum would be so proud' Cal replied blinking back tears. 'And who's this little fella?' Cal asked. Ethan looked at Honey and smiled.

'That's Thomas Caleb' he whispered smiling. 'We wanted to name him after you because of everything you have done for us. If it wasn't for you there would be no Honey and I, and I hope he takes after you as a protective older brother, then I can be sure that his sister will be safe' Ethan explained tears tumbling down his cheeks. Cal pulled Ethan into a hug, mindful of the tiny baby in his arms.

'I'm so proud of you. They are a credit to you both and I love them' he murmured. Cal swapped the baby in his arms for the one in his brother's. Ethan handed Keira to Noel for a cuddle whilst Cal cuddled his little nephew, and namesake. '

Hello Tommy, I'm your Uncle Caleb, but call me Cal. Caleb is your name now, not mine. I hope you do the name proud and have lots of fun with it' he muttered as he rocked the baby in his arms. Keira began to cry in her grandfather's arms so Ethan took her. She calmed down in his grasp.

'How about we take a photo with the person who delivered these bundles of joy?' He suggested before handing the other baby to Cal. He had a baby in each arm and was beaming with pride as Ethan took a photo of his brother. Cal handed his nephew to Noel who was ecstatic at the opportunity to hold another of his grandchildren.


	14. Chapter 14

Honey was sat in bed and was beginning to look a bit pale. 'Are you alright, Honey?' Ethan asked. She tried to nod her head but it ached.

'Head...hurts...feel...sick' she muttered. Ethan grabbed a bucket from the bathroom and rushed back to his wife. She began to throw up violently into it. He placed a hand on her forehead. It was boiling.

'Cal, she's got a temperature. Please you've got to help.' He pleaded. Cal handed Noel the other baby before rushing over to check Honey's condition.

'Honey, sweetheart, listen, I know you don't feel well but I need you to tell me exactly what is wrong.' Cal asserted.

'Head hurts.. Feel sick... It's hot in here... Tummy aches... Gonna be sick' she stammered as she continued throwing up.

'Take the kids out of here' Cal instructed Noel. Ethan stood helplessly beside his wife. He ran a hand through her thick brown hair and rubbed her back in small circular motions. 'Alright, I'm going to insert a cannula, Honey, this won't hurt but you will feel a sharp scratch, keep very still for me alright' Cal whispered. Honey nodded.

Cal steadily inserted the needle into her arm after cleaning it and applying a tourniquet. He grabbed a bag of saline and attached it.

Right, are you alright to walk or do you want me to call an ambulance?' Cal asked.

'W-walk' honey replied shivering. Cal pulled a blanket out of the bag and wrapped it around her shoulders. Ethan put an arm around his wife as they carefully walked towards the door. Honey legs gave way as they reached the hall.

Noel watched on with concern. Cal bent over and lifted her bridal style and carried her to the car. He placed her on the back seat and instructed Ethan to sit with her. He held a damp cloth to her forehead. Ethan took his place. Noel stayed at the house with the babies, it was too soon to take them outside and they could pick up any kind of infection in the hospital. Cal ran round to the driver's seat and drove off as quickly as possible. The normally 20 minute journey took half the time. Honey was whimpering feverishly as they arrived at the ED.

'Honey, keep talking to me, that's it baby. We're at the hospital now, we're going to get you some treatment, just stay calm and keep talking' Ethan murmured.

Honey looked up at him fearfully, she grabbed his hand tightly. 'Don't worry, I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere' Ethan assured her. Cal climbed out of the car and took Honey out of the car. He carried her bridal style towards the entrance.

Ethan trailed beside them. 'E-ethan?' Honey cried.

'I'm still here sweetie, don't worry, and just focus on getting better.' He whispered.

'Right what have we got here?' Charlie asked.

'This is Honey Hardy, aged 32. Became feverish after childbirth. Her temperature is approximately 39.2 degrees. She's been vomiting for the past hour. Her heart rate, BP, and sats are normal. GCS is at 15' Cal declared as he lay her on a nearby trolley and wheeled her to cubicles. Ethan held her hand as they ran beside the trolley.

'Alright Honey, I'm just going to get some oxygen on you and then we will find a doctor who can check you over.' Charlie explained. Honey sat upright, she gestured to Cal before flopping back onto the pillows.

'He shouldn't be treating you, it's not really allowed' he explained. Ethan stepped forward.

'I want Cal to do it. Honey will be calmer if he does it, please. You can get another doctor to supervise, just not Lily, please' Ethan pleaded.

'Alright, I'll get Zoe or Connie, just wait here' he muttered.


	15. Chapter 15

A few minutes later Zoe arrived. 'Right, let's start our primary survey. I want you to check her abdomen, and then take some bloods. It looks like a possible infection which we can easily treat with antibiotics but until we have the bloods back we can't be sure' Zoe explained.

Cal took a pair of gloves and put them on quickly. He placed his hands on Honey's abdomen and began to press gently. Honey fidgeted on the bed in pain, she let out a loud whimper followed by a sob.

'Alright baby, just keep still, Cal's just examining you, I promise it will be over soon' Ethan murmured. Honey gripped his arm tightly as Cal continued the examination. He ordered Lofty to take some bloods.

'Hello, Honey. I'm just going to take a little bit of blood so we can find out what is wrong with you, just keep still and it will only take a mo' he soothed. Lofty inserted the needle into Honey's arm and filled several vials with her blood. She whimpered as the needle pierced the skin but remained quiet.

'Alright, we'll send these for analysis and I'll let you know when the results come back' Lofty said as he left the cubicle.

'I'll get you some paracetamol for the headache and then you need to get some rest' Cal told Honey. She nodded and relaxed onto the crisp white pillows. Cal returned to find Honey sleeping peacefully still holding his brother's hand.

He was watching her sleep, tears creeping down his cheeks. 'She'll be alright, it will probably be some mild infection which we can treat with antibiotics. Don't worry about it' Cal soothed.

'But what if it isn't' Ethan whispered.

'Listen Nibbles, Honey is going to be fine, she's in the best possible place. She's a strong person and you'll get through this' Cal murmured. He pulled his brother into a tight embrace. Ethan was uncomfortable at the hug at first but soon relaxed into it. He sobbed against his brother's shoulder. They stayed there for a moment before they realised someone was watching them.

'Oh um Zoe' Ethan stammered.

'It's alright, I've just come back with some results from the blood test. Honey doesn't have an infection, in fact she is just severely dehydrated but thanks to Cal's quick thinking she is already on fluids. So I would say that she will be better in a couple of hours' she told them.

Ethan sighed with relief before thanking both Dr Hanna and his brother.

'When will she be able to go home, only she will need to feed both Keira and Tommy soon' Cal inquired.

'Well normally we would ask that the patient remains in hospital whilst they are treated but seen as it is you too, then I can't see why she can't go home now, if anything happens you need to bring her back here straight away. I'll get you a couple more bags of fluid and a drip stand then you are free to sign the forms and leave' she explained. Ethan nodded. Zoe returned a few moments later with the equipment, forms and Max who was pushing a wheelchair.

'Right, you know what to do but I have included some instructions in case you have any doubt. Max will take you to the car and make sure that you are alright' Zoe told them.

Ethan gave her a hug and thanked her for everything. Cal lifted Honey from the bed where she was sleeping and gently lowered her into the wheelchair. They wheeled her to the car and put her in. Ethan sat besides her letting her rest her head against his shoulder. She could smell the faint smell of his aftershave, a smile spread across her face. She took one of his hands in hers and pulled it to her cheek. She kissed it gently before snuggling up to it. They arrived him only a few minutes later. Noel stood in the window watching Cal lifting Honey out of the car. She was still holding Ethan's hand firmly as they brought her inside.

Ethan prised her grip off of him whilst he grabbed the equipment that the might need. They lay her in the bed and hooked up another bag of saline and let her rest. Noel left shortly later whilst Cal and Ethan took the twins and sat in the living room watching TV. Soon they were fast asleep with the babies in their arms snoring softly.

The next morning they woke to the sound of Keira cooing softly. She was snuggled into Ethan's arms and had taken his glasses from his face. She squealed with delight when she saw her daddy awake smiling at her gently.

'I think they are mine' he cooed before taking the glasses back but not before taking a photo of her wearing his glasses. She looked quite a lot like him. She had his blonde hair and brown eyes. Whereas Thomas looked just like his mum.


	16. Chapter 16

A letter came in the post a couple of weeks later. Due to the events at the wedding Cal and Ethan were both needed to attend a court hearing against their father, because of the abuse that Ethan had sustained. Ethan tore open the letter examining its contents. He was cradling his daughter in his arms as he read it.

'What's that?' Cal asked him as he made a cup of coffee. Their conversation was interrupted by Thomas crying from his car seat in the living room.

'I've got him' Cal called out as he went to retrieve his nephew. 'Oh dear, what's up with you Tommy? Tell Uncle Cal all about it' he murmured.

He wandered back into the room with his nephew to resume the conversation. 'So come on then what's wrong' he asked his brother. Ethan remained silent and handed him the letter.

'It's alright Eth. It means that if we go he won't be able to come back and hurt you' he explained.

'But I don't want to go, I don't want to see him again' Ethan muttered. Cal pulled him into a hug, careful not to hurt the two babies that they were holding.

Keira gurgled in Ethan's arms. 'Exactly what I was going to say' Cal laughed. Ethan looked at him confusedly.

'And that would be?' He asked.

'That it's best to get it over and done with now so that you can move on with your life' Cal stated.

'Wow I didn't realise my daughter had such an extensive vocabulary' Ethan smirked.

'What can I say she is smart like her dad' Cal told him.

Ethan smiled. 'Please come with me, I don't want to go alone' he whispered.

Honey came downstairs to see Ethan and Cal cradling her children and hugging. She smiled as she saw how adorable they all looked.

As she entered the room Keira began to fuss. 'Come on then' She muttered as she scooped her daughter out of her husband's arms.

Ethan and Cal told her what was going on and her reaction mirrored Cal's.


	17. Chapter 17

The day of the court hearing arrived. Cal and Ethan spent ages preparing themselves for court. Cal helped Ethan tie his tie because he was too nervous to do it properly. They arrived at the court to be instructed on what would happen. Ethan and Cal had chosen to record their statements and attend for only a question and answer session whilst their father was not in the room. Cal had insisted because he felt it would be unfair for Ethan to have to face their father again.

The court room was silent as Ethan's statement was played. He described what had happened to him and what effect it had on his life. He also told the court how he had felt when it had happened. Cal's statement basically explained what had happened at the wedding and what evidence he had seen of the abuse.

In the end Cal and Ethan were only called into the court for a short amount of time. Once they had given their statements they were permitted to leave. A clerk phoned them a couple of hours later to tell them the results. 'Mr Hardy has received a life sentence as there were other victims that came to light' they were told.

Ethan was happy to put the whole thing behind him. He just wanted to get on with life, and enjoy being the father to twins and live his life with his beautiful wife and annoying older brother. He wouldn't ever change a thing about his family, he loved and treasured them so much


End file.
